On the street - what people are telling the Gazette reporter

By Pepper Parr

October 17^th, 2022

BURLINGTON, ON

What we are hearing and what we are not hearing out on the street.

Katelyn Goodwin has been working the streets of the six wards asking people who they think will be elected as members of council October 24^th and what the issues were for them in their ward and for the city.

Development, development, development – most weren’t opposed to growth but not in the downtown core.

There were concerns about the condition of the sidewalks, mostly from seniors. Hardly a word, so far, on taxes.

Our survey is small, the gender balance,  so far is pretty even.

The age spread covered that 35 to 49; 50 to 65 and those over 65 fairly evenly.

Goodwin commented after her first tour through ward 2 that: “Almost everyone I spoke to is going with Lisa Kearns and Marianne Meed Ward. Over development, high-rise numbers, and traffic and transportation seem to be the general concerns in ward 2.

A sampling of the comments from people who were asked who they favoured and what the issues were for them in their ward and for the city overall.

Some of the

Ward #2

Male

50s

Lisa Kearns

This man’s biggest city concern is physical spending costs. He wants the government to not spend anymore than they need to on small things such as paths, art on walkways and buildings, etc.

He is voting

 Ward #2

Male

50s

Preference for mayor is Marianne Meed Ward

This man’s ward concerns are business, getting around the area, and the high-rise buildings going up in front of the lake when people paid for the lake view

His city concerns are transportation, public transit and being able to get around the city, traffic, and more buildings going up while less streets are being created.

He is voting

Ward #1

Female

70s

Preference for mayor is Marianne Meed Ward

This lady would like everyone in the city to be able to live equally and would like living costs to be more affordable

She is voting

Ward #3

Male

60s

Roy Nisan

A huge concern of this man’s is the rising crime rate, mainly coming from Toronto to here. He wasn’t fond of the legalization of more drugs, claiming they contribute to the rise in crime rates around the area he lives in

Is unsure if he will vote or not

Ward #2

Female

40s

Lisa Kearns

Marianne Meed Ward

This lady’s ward concern is the amount of traffic downtown

Her city concern is the transportation. Would like it to be better.

Ward #2

Female

50s

Marianne Meed Ward for mayor

This lady’s city concern is the transportation and the parking

She is voting

 Ward #2

Male

70s

Lisa Kearns

Marianne Meed Ward

This elderly gentleman is happy to live in the city and the area he is in

He is voting

Ward #2

Female

50s

Lisa Kearns

Marianne Meed Ward

This lady’s concern is over development in the downtown area, and stated in her words ‘high-rises do not belong in front of the lake’.

She is voting

 Ward #2

Male,

50s

This man wished to not share the candidate he voted for his ward, or choice for mayor but his main ward concern was overdevelopment and traffic, while his city concern was transportation

He has voted

 Ward #2

Female

70s

This lady’s concerns for her ward are over development of downtown, and the amounts, size, and placements of high-rises. She said that she realizes the city is fighting a losing battle with the government when it comes to those concerns.

She is not voting

Ward #2

Female

70s

Lisa Kearns

Marianne Meed Ward

This lady’s ward concern is the over development and high-rise going up everywhere. Her city concern is likewise the number of buildings that are being built. She reads the Burlington Gazette.

She is voting

Katelyn Goodwin is in her graduating year at Sheridan College.  She is thinking she would like to try doing a graphic novel.  She is prompt, understands whayt it isa to get to work on time and to look for situations that interest people and then write about them.